1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to dispensers for granular material, such dispensers having closure caps adapted to impart a sift characteristic, or alternately a pour characteristic, to the material being dispensed.
2. Description of the Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR .sctn..sctn.1.97-1.99
The following references are considered to be a representative sampling of patents in the field to which the present invention pertains:
U.S. Pat. Nos.:
2,449,285 2,961,132 4,548,331 4,653,672 4,699,299 5,123,574 5,269,432 5,383,582 5,507,419 5,601,213
U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,213 discloses a dispenser adapted for use with granulated material, such as spices. The dispenser has a rotatable overcap including detents in the form of nibs on its underside, which are received in depressions on a base cap. By such an arrangement, the overcap can be turnably held in various adjusted positions, giving rise respectively to different discharge characteristics.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,449,285 discloses a sifter construction wherein there is provided a turn cap comprising an inverted cup, the latter having an inturned curl (19) which underlies a retention bead on a base cap. The turn cap can be set to effect alignment or mis-alignment of cooperable discharge passages in the two cap parts.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,672 illustrates a twist cap construction wherein the turnable component is provided with a depending skirt that rides on a track in the base cap. The retention of the turnable component is accomplished by a plastic "rivet" (5), and there are stops in the cap construction, to confine the turning interval to predetermined limits, as indicated in FIG. 2.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,331 shows a closure construction for granular material. The disclosed device (FIG. 8) shows the use of multiple detents 50 on a base portion of the closure construction. Means are provided to retain the overcap portion in various adjusted positions, corresponding to different discharge rates of the granular material being dispensed.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,699,299 and 5,507,419 illustrate turnable cap constructions of a type incorporating interlocking peripheral beads on a base cap and a closure cap, respectively.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,961,132 and 5,383,582 disclose cap constructions wherein a turnable member is disposed inside an upwardly facing cup portion of a base cap. The remaining two references, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,123,574 and 5,269,432, also relate to dispenser caps that are held captive on a base cap, and where provision is made for controlled discharge of the container contents. No. '574 utilizes what is known in the trade as a metering type closure, wherein a single unit dose or quantity can be dispensed, which is considered desirable for some applications.
It appears, however, that few if any, of the constructions noted above have been commercialized. This may be due to lack of marketing, or as a consequence of difficulty in manufacturing relative complex components in some cases, which represented an obstacle that may have thwarted the patentee in his attempts to successfully make and sell the respective inventions.